Announcing the September/October 2014 Issue V, Vol VIII
Cover Story: Download to Upload: Technology is Upending Traditional Philanthropy—And Millennials are Leading the Way
Featured: Five Years of the Social Good Summit
PLUS: Millennials Rush In; #GivingTuesday: Giving Gone Global!; An Interview with author Christopher Schroeder; and more!
Washington, DC: For the past several years Diplomatic Courier has devoted its September edition to Millennials. It has been our practice since the inception of the magazine to provide opportunities for the next generation of leaders as well as follow the trends that the First Globals are threading in the realm of global affairs. And while we have spent the past three years actively searching and recognizing the Top 99 Under 33 Young Foreign Policy Leaders every September during UN Week, this year we retired the brand and the list in favor of a more in-depth search: “Where Are They Now?”
Since philanthropy and social good was our cover focus for the September edition, we asked top Millennials from these past lists to tell us what they think the future of philanthropy looks like. Several stood out: Daniella Foster, Christine Horansky, and Manjula Dissanayake. Beyond the work they have done in their respective fields, they have penned extraordinary pieces on trends in philanthropy vis-à-vis innovation, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. We followed their lead because as young professionals and millennials at the top of their game we could not have asked for a better window into the future.
This is going to continue being a trend for Diplomatic Courier. In future editions, we will seek to publish the voices of our Top 99 Under 33 classes from the past three years to give us a true window into how millennials are already shaping the future in their respective fields.
Millennials understand disruption. But they view it as constructive. They understand that the donor is in the driver’s seat and the Foundation—the way we know it—is in decline. They also view philanthropy as a means of business, often times employing the same philosophy in giving as they do in investing. Millennials, with their digital savvy and unprecedented reach into the global theater, have a different clout—they don’t need a massive endowment to generate interest in causes and mobilize masses to the tune of millions. Millennials are looking for “Fundsters” not just funders for their causes, and more and more they want to be involved in the ventures they give their time, money, and talents to.
How will these trends play out in the future? One only needs to look at the recent success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The campaign went viral throughout social media during mid 2014. The challenge, which dares nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads, has become a pop culture phenomenon. It suggests that philanthropy has entered a fascinating moment of transition. The old norms and practices don’t feel completely successful, but no new, shared set of models, approaches, or ideas has yet settled into place. Put all the trends and themes together and what emerges are more options and opportunities, more creative experiments, and the potential for real gains. And individuals are already making the choices that will define philanthropy’s evolution over the next generation.
Ana C. Rold is Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Diplomatic Courier.
Announcing the September/October 2014 Issue V, Vol VIII
Cover Story: Download to Upload: Technology is Upending Traditional Philanthropy—And Millennials are Leading the Way
Featured: Five Years of the Social Good Summit
PLUS: Millennials Rush In; #GivingTuesday: Giving Gone Global!; An Interview with author Christopher Schroeder; and more!
Washington, DC: For the past several years Diplomatic Courier has devoted its September edition to Millennials. It has been our practice since the inception of the magazine to provide opportunities for the next generation of leaders as well as follow the trends that the First Globals are threading in the realm of global affairs. And while we have spent the past three years actively searching and recognizing the Top 99 Under 33 Young Foreign Policy Leaders every September during UN Week, this year we retired the brand and the list in favor of a more in-depth search: “Where Are They Now?”
Since philanthropy and social good was our cover focus for the September edition, we asked top Millennials from these past lists to tell us what they think the future of philanthropy looks like. Several stood out: Daniella Foster, Christine Horansky, and Manjula Dissanayake. Beyond the work they have done in their respective fields, they have penned extraordinary pieces on trends in philanthropy vis-à-vis innovation, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. We followed their lead because as young professionals and millennials at the top of their game we could not have asked for a better window into the future.
This is going to continue being a trend for Diplomatic Courier. In future editions, we will seek to publish the voices of our Top 99 Under 33 classes from the past three years to give us a true window into how millennials are already shaping the future in their respective fields.
Millennials understand disruption. But they view it as constructive. They understand that the donor is in the driver’s seat and the Foundation—the way we know it—is in decline. They also view philanthropy as a means of business, often times employing the same philosophy in giving as they do in investing. Millennials, with their digital savvy and unprecedented reach into the global theater, have a different clout—they don’t need a massive endowment to generate interest in causes and mobilize masses to the tune of millions. Millennials are looking for “Fundsters” not just funders for their causes, and more and more they want to be involved in the ventures they give their time, money, and talents to.
How will these trends play out in the future? One only needs to look at the recent success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The campaign went viral throughout social media during mid 2014. The challenge, which dares nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads, has become a pop culture phenomenon. It suggests that philanthropy has entered a fascinating moment of transition. The old norms and practices don’t feel completely successful, but no new, shared set of models, approaches, or ideas has yet settled into place. Put all the trends and themes together and what emerges are more options and opportunities, more creative experiments, and the potential for real gains. And individuals are already making the choices that will define philanthropy’s evolution over the next generation.
Ana C. Rold is Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Diplomatic Courier.
